Relationship Spotlight: Kate Austen & Sayid Jarrah (Lost)

One of the best things, in my opinion, about big-ensemble dramas like Lost, Heroes, and Once Upon a Time is the huge variety of character interactions you can have.  It’s especially fruitful in early episodes, when the cast is still getting to know one another and the showrunners haven’t hit upon their favorite pairings yet (romantic or otherwise.)  As a result, you tend to get a see-what-sticks potpourri of interpersonal relationships while everyone waits to see what rises to the top.  Kate and Sayid’s relationship is one of these early explorations, and though the two characters ultimately wound up spending most of their screentime in separate spheres, they continued to catch my attention every time they shared storylines.  (A few season 1 flashback spoilers.)

Like any character on Lost, Sayid and Kate both have complicated, insanely dramatic histories.  Quiet, technologically-gifted Sayid is a former Republican Guard interrogator, and though he’s spent years running from that past, the mere fact of his ethnicity and religion places him in an uncomfortable position after surviving a plane crash in a post-9-11 world.  Personable, athletic Kate more quickly wins over the trust and camaraderie of her fellow survivors, but she’s been running as well – she’s lived a transient life as a fugitive after committing a crime that, for more than a season, is shrouded in secrecy. 

Perception and identity (past and present) are important on the island.  Everyone has secrets or hidden shames held for different lengths of time, and just about everyone has had the entire camp turn against them at least once.  With Kate and Sayid, however, their backstories really don’t play a part in their relationship.  It’s not about her being an outlaw or him being a reformed torturer.  Rather, it’s about both of them being resourceful survivors volunteering their skills and intelligence to help everyone stay alive.  Both are frequent volunteers for jungle treks to find water, food, radio signals, and anything else that might sustain them or aid in their rescue.  Since Kate is an experienced tracker and Sayid has a flair for MacGyvering together electronic equipment from scavenged luggage, they’re valuable assets.

In this way, they’re a lot alike, and that allows them to work well together.  Both are brave and adventurous, they can think on their feet, and they can hold it together when they’re being threatened.  Both have had dark experiences in their lives and know their way around guns and unflinching decisions better than many of the other survivors (although it’s staggering how many passengers on one random plane flight have killed before.  If you fly Oceanic, doze with one eye open!)  As such, they’re often on the same page, banding together on treks to support one another’s ideas, sharing instincts, and communicating easily with no more than a look or a nod.

Best of all, there are no romantic undertones between them.  Now, this isn’t my ace friendship bias showing; it’s concern for Kate’s character.  I’m entirely capable of liking Kate; interminable backstory drama aside, island Kate is tough, clever, competent, and bold even when she’s scared.  Set her up as the prize in the Jack-Sawyer pissing contest, though, and her awesomeness rapidly ebbs away.  It becomes all about which one she wants, both men project things onto her that aren’t necessarily true, and the whole sorry business drags her down.  In contrast, an episode of Kate and Sayid Gettin’ Crap Done shows off what she can do and paints her in the best light.  I was sorry when the show started neglecting their relationship in favor of the love polygon that ate the series, and it always delighted me when they paired up again for a short jaunt.